Broadband Adoption Rising, but Gap Persists: Report

A new study has found that socioeconomic factors such as income and
education levels-although strongly associated with broadband Internet use-are
not the sole determinants of use. Even after accounting for socioeconomic
differences, significant gaps persist along racial, ethnic and geographic lines,
according to a study analyzing broadband Internet access and adoption across
the United States
by the Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration and the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
The report analyzed data collected through an Internet Usage Survey of
54,000 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in October 2009.
Earlier this year, the NTIA released initial findings from the survey, showing
that while virtually all demographic groups have experienced rising broadband
Internet adoption at home, and 64 percent of households overall have broadband
at home, historic disparities among demographic groups have persisted over
time.

"In order to narrow the digital divide and help more Americans compete
in the 21st century economy, we need to better understand the causes of the
broadband gap," said Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Rebecca Blank. "Today's
report identifies various factors that drive and inhibit broadband adoption. It
is the most comprehensive, data-driven analysis of broadband adoption that has
been conducted. The bedrock of sound policymaking is statistical measurement
and analysis of the data and underlying issues."

The report found seven out of 10 American households used the Internet in 2009.
The majority of these households used broadband to access the Internet at home.
Almost one-fourth of all households, however, did not have an Internet user.
Income and education are strongly associated with broadband Internet use at
home but are not the sole determinants.

While broadband Internet adoption was higher among white households than among
black and Hispanic households, the report noted differences in socioeconomic
attributes do not explain the entire gap associated with race and ethnicity. A
similar pattern holds for urban and rural locations: Urban residents were more
likely than their rural counterparts to adopt broadband Internet, even after
accounting for socioeconomic differences.

Broadband adoption also varies with age, with the elderly population much less
likely than their younger counterparts to use home broadband Internet services.
Lack of need or interest, lack of affordability, lack of an adequate computer,
and lack of availability were all stated as the main reasons for not having
home broadband Internet access.

Internet non-users reported lack of need or interest as their primary reason
for not having broadband at home. This group accounted for two-thirds of those
who don't have broadband at home. In contrast, households that did not use
the Internet specifically at home but did use the Internet elsewhere ranked
affordability as the primary deterrent to home broadband adoption. This group
represented almost one-fourth of those who don't have broadband at home.

Households that use dial-up service cited affordability as the main reason for
not adopting broadband at home. For rural residents using dial-up service, lack
of broadband availability was reported as a significant factor. Between 2001
and 2009, broadband Internet use among households rose sevenfold, from 9
percent to 64 percent of American households.

"Americans who lack broadband Internet access are cut off from many
educational and employment opportunities," said Assistant Secretary for
Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence Strickling.
"The learning from today's report is that there is no simple 'one size
fits all' solution to closing the digital divide. A combination of approaches
makes sense, including targeted outreach programs to rural and minority
populations emphasizing the benefits of broadband. NTIA's Broadband Technology
Opportunities Program is helping to address this challenge, but we are hopeful
today's report will be useful to the larger community working to close the gap."

Nathan Eddy is Associate Editor, Midmarket, at eWEEK.com. Before joining eWEEK.com, Nate was a writer with ChannelWeb and he served as an editor at FierceMarkets. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.